1. Technical Field
The present invention relates to wireless communications and, more particularly, to circuitry for measuring and detecting a received signal strength.
2. Related Art
Communication systems are known to support wireless and wire lined communications between wireless and/or wire lined communication devices. Such communication systems range from national and/or international cellular telephone systems to the Internet to point-to-point in-home wireless networks. Each type of communication system is constructed, and hence operates, in accordance with one or more communication standards. For instance, wireless communication systems may operate in accordance with one or more standards, including, but not limited to, IEEE 802.11, Bluetooth, advanced mobile phone services (AMPS), digital AMPS, global system for mobile communications (GSM), code division multiple access (CDMA), local multi-point distribution systems (LMDS), multi-channel-multi-point distribution systems (MMDS), and/or variations thereof.
Depending on the type of wireless communication system, a wireless communication device, such as a cellular telephone, two-way radio, personal digital assistant (PDA), personal computer (PC), laptop computer, home entertainment equipment, etc., communicates directly or indirectly with other wireless communication devices. For direct communications (also known as point-to-point communications), the participating wireless communication devices tune their receivers and transmitters to the same channel or channels (e.g., one of a plurality of radio frequency (RF) carriers of the wireless communication system) and communicate over that channel(s). For indirect wireless communications, each wireless communication device communicates directly with an associated base station (e.g., for cellular services) and/or an associated access point (e.g., for an in-home or in-building wireless network) via an assigned channel. To complete a communication connection between the wireless communication devices, the associated base stations and/or associated access points communicate with each other directly, via a system controller, via a public switched telephone network (PSTN), via the Internet, and/or via some other wide area network.
Each wireless communication device includes a built-in radio transceiver (i.e., receiver and transmitter) or is coupled to an associated radio transceiver (e.g., a station for in-home and/or in-building wireless communication networks, RF modem, etc.). As is known, the transmitter includes a data modulation stage, one or more intermediate frequency stages, and a power amplifier stage. The data modulation stage converts raw data into baseband signals in accordance with the particular wireless communication standard. The one or more intermediate frequency stages mix the baseband signals with one or more local oscillations to produce RF signals. The power amplifier stage amplifies the RF signals prior to transmission via an antenna.
Typically, the data modulation stage is implemented on a baseband processor chip, while the intermediate frequency (IF) stages and power amplifier stage are implemented on a separate radio processor chip. Historically, radio integrated circuits have been designed using bipolar circuitry, allowing for large signal swings and linear transmitter component behavior. Therefore, many legacy baseband processors employ analog interfaces that communicate analog signals to and from the radio processor.
Voltage regulators are commonly used in discrete circuits as well as in integrated circuit devices to provide a steady and predictable supply. Generally, regulators are advantageous because they are capable of sourcing large amounts of current. One common problem that applies to voltage regulators, especially in integrated circuit designs, is that over-current conditions may be reached when an output is shorted or when a load resistance substantially drops due to any one of a plurality of reasons. Such over-current conditions can cause failure in the integrated circuit by damaging a portion of its embedded circuitry. Such adverse effects are known to happen even for very brief instances of a short across an output. Thus, providing current limiting is desirable. In some prior art designs, output current levels are monitored and, upon detection of a large surge of current, the entire regulator or power supply may be disabled or powered down to provide some degree of protection. One shortcoming of such approaches, however, is that the response time for powering down a power supply may be inadequate. Moreover, shutting down a power supply also requires a start up or settle time. What is needed, therefore, is a regulator that is operable to quickly respond to a short or low output impedance situation to reduce the likelihood of damaging the integrated circuit and that reduces any required settle time when transitioning back to a normal mode of operation.